Trump brushes off Zelensky plea, fixates on Nobel Peace Prize
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Trump dismissed Zelensky’s requests for Tomahawk missiles and focused instead on his lack of a Nobel Peace Prize, The Washington Post reports.
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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One, Sunday, October 19, 2025, en route to Joint Base Andrews, Md., as he returns from a trip to Florida (AP)
US President Donald Trump showed little interest in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s requests for additional military support and instead repeatedly complained about not winning the Nobel Peace Prize, The Washington Post reported on Monday, citing people familiar with last week’s meeting.
Zelensky arrived at the White House on Friday seeking long-range Tomahawk missiles and presented maps showing what he described as a favorable battlefield situation against Russia. However, Trump reportedly dismissed the proposals outright.
“It was pretty much like ‘no, look guys, you can’t possibly win back any territory … There is nothing we can do to save you. You should try to give diplomacy another chance,’” one source told The Washington Post, describing Trump’s reaction.
'Chaotic talks'
A European diplomat cited in the report characterized the talks as chaotic, saying that Trump repeatedly voiced frustration over being overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize rather than focusing on Ukraine’s requests.
“[T]he message was that Russia only wants Donbass and this is a good deal and Putin wants to end the war and it can be done quickly,” the diplomat said.
According to Axios, the October 17 discussion between the two leaders was “tough,” with Trump making it clear that Kiev would not receive long-range missiles. The report added that despite fluctuations in Trump’s tone, his underlying policy remains to “force Ukraine to end the war.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz later confirmed that Zelensky’s visit “did not go as hoped,” acknowledging that the White House meeting failed to yield any concrete commitments for Kiev.
US not to drain arsenal on Kiev
In a wide-ranging interview aired Sunday, US President Donald Trump sketched a posture of military restraint and transactional diplomacy across three flashpoints, Ukraine, Gaza, and China, while stressing that US stockpiles and economic interests come first.
Trump reiterated that Washington will not drain its arsenals to keep Kiev supplied indefinitely. "We can’t give all of our weapons to Ukraine. We just can’t do that. I have been very good to President [Volodymyr] Zelensky and to Ukraine but… I can’t jeopardize the US," he said. He added that Tomahawk cruise missiles must be retained for US defense and said he had discussed the issue directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Despite the war, he pointed to "great potential for trade with Kiev" and said he hopes Moscow and Kiev "reach an understanding to end hostilities."
Those comments land as Washington and Moscow prepare a meeting in Budapest in the coming weeks, following a recent Trump-Putin call. The Kremlin has signaled openness to talks, while Zelensky has voiced skepticism about Russian intentions. The Tomahawk pause also gives Washington leverage over both sides as negotiating terms are scoped.
